University of New Hampshire Athletics
Paul Hamlen of Hampton (in white shirt) was the first to try out on Saturday.
Voice of Wildcat Stadium: Contenders Take Their Shots
7/26/2016 3:41:00 PM | Football, UNH Insider
One was three weeks old when he attended his first University of New Hampshire athletic event.
Another was three years old when he first showed signs that a microphone, somewhere down the road, might play a role in his life.
A third brought his family – including a three-year-old who even brought her own mic - to the event.
All gave up a piece of a steamy-hot Saturday over the weekend to walk on to the football field at Cowell Stadium and take their best shot at being the historic first voice of the new Wildcat Stadium.
They came with varying degrees of experience – chances are you've heard the voices of at least a couple of them - and sat facing the impressive new stadium.
They looked at a video clip displayed on a computer screen in front of them and proceeded to show off booming and enthusiastic voices while they auditioned to be the first public address announcer in the facility.
The UNH football team christens its new home on Saturday, Sept. 10 with a game against New England rival Holy Cross.
Season tickets for 2016 in Wildcat Stadium are now on sale and start at $99. Information on season tickets, the stadium and tours of the facility is available online or by calling 603-862-1262.
The Wildcats have five home games scheduled for the regular season. Besides the opener, season tickets include the Homecoming game on Oct. 1 against William & Mary at 3:30 p.m. and games on Oct. 15 against James Madison at noon, Oct. 29 against Stony Brook at noon and Nov. 12 against Albany at noon.
UNH opens the season with a game at San Diego State, an FBS school, on Saturday, Sept. 3 at 8:30 p.m. Eastern.
Joel Chagnon has done PA work for Farmington High School basketball, baseball and softball for more than two decades and last year added duties with the Great Bay Community College Herons.
"I always loved it," Chagnon said. "I've always loved the microphone. When I told my father he I was coming here he showed me a picture of me when I was probably three years old, holding a paper towel roll and making believe I was an announcer."
Chagnon is a former teacher and former athletic director at Farmington High School.
Dan Day, a graduate of UNH and Oyster River High School in Durham, was three weeks old when his parents, both UNH grads, brought him to the NCAA Gymnastics Regionals at UNH in 1991.
"There's always been a special place in my heart for UNH gymnastics and UNH football," Day said. "I've been rooting for UNH teams all my life."
Day did disc jockey stints and was the news director at student radio station WUNH and performed in the UNH Marching Band while in school and still fills in at times with the Pep Band.
Day and Chagnon and Dave Zamansky, who has been the voice of Wildcat football in recent years - like several others on Saturday - were excited about trying out and perhaps doing the announcing in new stadium.
Sherm Chester, a lifelong resident of Exeter, has been the voice of Exeter High basketball and football for the past couple of decades. He's taken on PA duties in the NHIAA basketball and football tournament as well in recent years.
Chester was in the broadcast business years ago and originally got into PA work when his son was a freshman basketball player.
"They hooked me in," he said. "I enjoy doing it. I like the action and being around people. I'm familiar with the facilities here and comfortable. It's an honor and privilege to do it whether it's with the Exeter Blue Hawks, the NHIAA or possibly the UNH Wildcats."
Tom Gauthier, who has filled in as PA announcer at UNH events, was one of the radio voices of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats the last several years before taking a new job prior to this season.
The little girl with the mic was his cuter-than-cute daughter, Isla. She turns four next month and, as it turned out, was not interested in auditioning. Not just yet anyway.
She proudly showed off her microphone and then announced: "It's a toy."
Allen Lessels
@UNHInsider
Allen.Lessels@unh.edu
Another was three years old when he first showed signs that a microphone, somewhere down the road, might play a role in his life.
A third brought his family – including a three-year-old who even brought her own mic - to the event.
All gave up a piece of a steamy-hot Saturday over the weekend to walk on to the football field at Cowell Stadium and take their best shot at being the historic first voice of the new Wildcat Stadium.
They came with varying degrees of experience – chances are you've heard the voices of at least a couple of them - and sat facing the impressive new stadium.
They looked at a video clip displayed on a computer screen in front of them and proceeded to show off booming and enthusiastic voices while they auditioned to be the first public address announcer in the facility.
The UNH football team christens its new home on Saturday, Sept. 10 with a game against New England rival Holy Cross.
Season tickets for 2016 in Wildcat Stadium are now on sale and start at $99. Information on season tickets, the stadium and tours of the facility is available online or by calling 603-862-1262.
The Wildcats have five home games scheduled for the regular season. Besides the opener, season tickets include the Homecoming game on Oct. 1 against William & Mary at 3:30 p.m. and games on Oct. 15 against James Madison at noon, Oct. 29 against Stony Brook at noon and Nov. 12 against Albany at noon.
UNH opens the season with a game at San Diego State, an FBS school, on Saturday, Sept. 3 at 8:30 p.m. Eastern.
Joel Chagnon has done PA work for Farmington High School basketball, baseball and softball for more than two decades and last year added duties with the Great Bay Community College Herons.
"I always loved it," Chagnon said. "I've always loved the microphone. When I told my father he I was coming here he showed me a picture of me when I was probably three years old, holding a paper towel roll and making believe I was an announcer."
Chagnon is a former teacher and former athletic director at Farmington High School.
Dan Day, a graduate of UNH and Oyster River High School in Durham, was three weeks old when his parents, both UNH grads, brought him to the NCAA Gymnastics Regionals at UNH in 1991.
"There's always been a special place in my heart for UNH gymnastics and UNH football," Day said. "I've been rooting for UNH teams all my life."
Day did disc jockey stints and was the news director at student radio station WUNH and performed in the UNH Marching Band while in school and still fills in at times with the Pep Band.
Day and Chagnon and Dave Zamansky, who has been the voice of Wildcat football in recent years - like several others on Saturday - were excited about trying out and perhaps doing the announcing in new stadium.
Sherm Chester, a lifelong resident of Exeter, has been the voice of Exeter High basketball and football for the past couple of decades. He's taken on PA duties in the NHIAA basketball and football tournament as well in recent years.
Chester was in the broadcast business years ago and originally got into PA work when his son was a freshman basketball player.
"They hooked me in," he said. "I enjoy doing it. I like the action and being around people. I'm familiar with the facilities here and comfortable. It's an honor and privilege to do it whether it's with the Exeter Blue Hawks, the NHIAA or possibly the UNH Wildcats."
Tom Gauthier, who has filled in as PA announcer at UNH events, was one of the radio voices of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats the last several years before taking a new job prior to this season.
The little girl with the mic was his cuter-than-cute daughter, Isla. She turns four next month and, as it turned out, was not interested in auditioning. Not just yet anyway.
She proudly showed off her microphone and then announced: "It's a toy."
Allen Lessels
@UNHInsider
Allen.Lessels@unh.edu
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